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Eating Healthy on a Budget

3:45:00 PM

Most people think that eating healthy comes with a high price tag. That isn't always true and I want to tell you a little bit of how you can manage to shop for the super good foods without breaking the bank.

I traveled to our local farmer's market/grocery store this afternoon to do some shopping and realized how inexpensive a lot of the foods were compared to your big chains, such as Publix or Safe Way when it comes to eating fresh, organic fruits and vegetables. I was able to do all my shopping for the week for just under $40, that's pretty good, if I do say so myself. Think about it, this is going to feed me 3 meals a day plus snacks for the next 4-5 days. That is only approximately $3.33 per meal if this were to only last 4 days! Great right??

Here in Gainesville we have Wards supermarket, a family owned store which carries plentiful fruits and vegetables, meats and grains all harvested from around our area.

Their displays of fresh fruits and vegetables were absolutely gorgeous and mouthwatering to say the least. Prices were quite comparable with that of your local chain supermarket for the regular products and much cheaper when it came to the organic goods. I bought some organic Fuji apples for $1.69/lb :) and a bunch of 6 organic bananas for $1.23. You can't beat that!

Look at this gorgeous display of all organic veggies...mmmm

Next stop on our shopping list is to the grain section. Here at wards they have an entire wall dedicated to grains, etc. in bulk. I got myself some Quinoa a delicious and highly nutritious grain from South America. Check this out!

And this is only a quarter of what they have!

Next, I bought some free-range chicken (no hormone treatments) which was only $3.50 for 3 boneless, skinless breasts. But be careful to make sure that you are buying the right thing here. One of the biggest things nowadays is treating our livestock and other farm animals with hormones and antibiotics to plump them up, but have you ever thought of what effect that is having on your body? This is one area where you really don't want to be cheap, also the milk, organic and hormone free milk is important as well.

Although, I am not a doctor, I have done my research and as a young woman I want to make sure that I protect myself and my future children from any problems that may occur because of hormones in my food. Studies have shown that the hormones found in beef can lead to early onset of puberty in young girls, which puts them automatically at a higher risk for developing breast cancer, as breast cancer is cause by an excess of estrogen in your body. To me it is very important that I eat organic fruits, vegetables, meats, and dairy products as I want to ensure that myself and my family will have the highest quality of life as possible. Of course it is ultimately your own decision, I am only here to relay the information and to inform you that if the only reason keeping you from eating healthier and/or organic foods is because of budget reasons, it's not impossible. Actually, it is very affordable and the benefits are extraordinary.

So how do you save money on fresh produce and other stuff? The best answer for this is to buy local. Local farmer's markets are going to be your best bet for cheap, fresh and organic goodies. But with the "go green" population on the rise right now, it isn't hard to find organic options at even your local chain supermarket. The key here is to do your research. Find a local farmer's market near you and check it out, you may be pleasantly surprised!

All this for how much????

Lunch today for me started with a lovely snack of cut green bell peppers and roasted red pepper hummus, followed by a delectable chicken and hummus wrap on a spinach pita. Mmmmm Mmmmm.

finished off lunch with a couple of millet and flax chips

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About me

Thanks for stopping by! I am a lover of Jesus, mama to 2 little boys, wife to my best friend and hair stylist. This blog gives you a little glimpse into our crazy world following our day to day adventures.